An Account of a Sort of Paper Made of Linum Asbestinum Found in Wales in a Letter to the Publisher, from Edward Lloyd of Jesus Coll. Oxon

An account of a sort of Paper made of Linum Asbestinum found in Wales in a Letter to the Publisher, from Edward Lloyd of Jesus Coll. Oxon. In obedience to your commands I have here sent you all the account I am able to give at present of the Lapis Amianthus or Linum fossile Asbestinum which you were inform'd (and that truly) was to be found in the Isle of Anglesey: wherein I shall choose to refer it to your own judgment to determine whether this be the same kind with the Asbestos of the Ancients, or in some respects different from it. Nor shall I mention any thing out of Authors relating to it; well knowing that would prove but needless to you, as being not unacquainted with whatever has been said of it: But shall only give you some bare informations of it from my own Experience. It is found in no small quantity in the Parish of LLan-Fair yng Hornwy in the Northern part of Anglesey; where it runs in veins through a Rock of Stone in hardness and colour not unlike Flint. These veins are generally about $\frac{1}{4}$ of an inch deep; which is the length of the Amiantus, and is seldom longer, but often shorter. It is compoed of a lanuginous matter exactly resembling that of pappous Plants; but so closely compact, that till you draw a Pin, or any such sharp thing, cross the grain of it, it appears only a shining Stone; there being not the least filament of lint to be perceived in it. In its natural form some of it looks whitish, and some Straw-colour'd, but all shining: but if pounded in a Mortar, the brightness disappears, and the whole becomes whitish. Note that above and beneath the veins there's a very thin septum of terrene matter between the Amiantus, and the Stone whereto it adheres. I put a small quantity of the lint in the fire, which grew red hot; but though it remain'd there $\frac{1}{4}$ of an hour, I could not perceive that it was any thing consumed. I twisted some of it also in form of a Week, as you had done that of Cyprus before, and dipping it in Oyl it gave as good a flame as other Weeks, till the Oyl was consum'd; the Week remaining in the same proportion as at first. Being satisfied it was incombustible, and instructed by one of your Chymical Lectures in the Natural History Schoole, that Paper had, and might be made of it, I resolv'd to try whether any could be made of this; which if not useful, might at least prove surprizing to such as knew not the material of it, by its not yielding to the fire; to which end I pounded some quantity of it in a Stone Mortar, till it became a downy substance and seem'd very fit for that purpose. Then I sifted it through a fine Searce by which means I purg'd it indifferent well from its terrene parts; for what Earth or Stones I could not pick out of it before, or at the pounding, being reduced to a poulder came through the Searce, the Linum remaining. Having thus pounded it and cleansed it, I brought it to the Paper-mil; and putting it in water in a vessel just capacious enough to make Paper with such a quantity; I itirred it pretty much, and desired the workmen to proceed with it in their usual method of making Paper, with their writing-paper Mould: onely to stir it about ever before they put their Mould in; considering it as a far more ponderous substance than what they used; and that consequently if not immediatly taken up after it was agitated, it would subside. Paper made of it proved but very course and too apt to tear, whereof I have sent you a Sheet. But this being the first tryal, I have some reasons to believe it may be much improved; nor did the workmen doubt but in case it were pounded in one of their Mortars for 20 Hours space it would make good writing-paper; which, when I shall receive a sufficient quantity of it, I design to try. In the mean while be pleased to accept of this superficial account of it, in token of gratitude from Your most oblig'd Servant E. LLOYD.